Stepney Primary School

Inspection of Stepney Primary School Beverley Road, Priory Road, Hull HU5 1JJ

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 28 and 29 March 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school and say that they feel safe here. Leaders and staff have high expectations for pupils both academically and personally. Pupils know that they need to have ‘kind words, kind hands and kind actions’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff provide a high-quality education for all pupils. They learn a wide range of subjects from early years to Year 6. The school offers a range of experiences for pupils beyond the classroom. Leaders want pupils to be prepared for their future lives. There are regular visits and visitors to school. Pupils have the chance to visit the Royal Opera House in London.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff build positive relationships with pupils. On the rare occasions that bullying happens, it is addressed effectively by staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents speak positively about behaviour and communication. The feel that expectations about behaviour are clear. There are strong relationships between staff and parents. Pupils, staff and parents look forward to the Friday celebration assembly. Pupils are rewarded for being ‘star of the week’. The ‘learning muscle trophy’ is awarded to pupils who have shown commitment to their learning. Pupils know that applying the learning muscles helps them to experience a better education.

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better?

Leaders from the trust have prioritised curriculum development. They have planned a curriculum that matches the aims and ambition of the national curriculum. There is a well-sequenced programme of learning across all subjects from the early years to Year 6. Subject leaders have identified the key knowledge that they want pupils to know and remember over time. Teachers across the trust support each other to ensure that the key knowledge is developed into lessons. However, in mathematics, there were limited opportunities for pupils to deepen their understanding of this key knowledge.

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better?

Reading is a priority from Nursery. Staff who teach phonics are well trained. They follow a structured programme and have a consistent approach. Most pupils have strong phonics knowledge and are keeping up with the pace of the programme. However, for those pupils who need more practice with phonics in Year 1, the reading books are not matched closely enough to their phonics knowledge. They rely too much on adult support to be able to read the book accurately.

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better?

Pupils usually behave sensibly in lessons and engage positively with their learning. Any low-level disruption is addressed quickly. Pupils are rewarded with points for showing positive behaviour. Pupils are eager to collect enough points to visit the ‘reading book vending machine’. 28 and 29 March 2023

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Some pupils are not coming to school regularly or often enough. The newly formed attendance team work closely with families where pupils’ attendance is lower than it should be. The impact of this work is limited.

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There is a strong approach to inclusion. Pupils who need support, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), get it quickly from well- trained staff. This includes emotional literacy support, nurture provision and the school nurse. Regular craft mornings for parents of pupils with additional needs help to build relationships and pupils’ confidence.

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Pupils’ wider development is carefully thought out by leaders. Pupils benefit from a detailed and well-considered personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education programme. Staff are confident to talk to pupils about important issues in an age- appropriate way. Pupils are taught about equality and the importance of being respectful towards others. This includes those from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds. Leaders provide many opportunities to promote pupils’ personal development. Extra-curricular clubs include tennis, gardening and badminton. Leaders are committed to making sure that pupils have a voice in school through the ‘pupil voice team’.

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Children in the early years learn and play together in a happy and safe environment. They share resources and are considerate towards each other. Plans for what children will learn in the early years are clear. Staff regularly check children’s knowledge and understanding so that they are able to plan their next steps. Staff take every opportunity to develop children’s spoken language. This focus on oracy and vocabulary continues to be developed into Year 1 and beyond. Parents welcome the ‘stay and play’ sessions offered every week. This gives them a chance to find out about their children’s learning and how they can support them at home.

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Leaders are forward thinking in their approach to developing the school further. They provide support for staff to manage their time and the demands on their workload. This includes joint planning sessions with other teachers in the trust. Staff welcome this. Leaders ensure that staff receive the training and resources that they need. The governing body and leaders of the trust provide effective support and challenge to leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders go over and above to make sure pupils are safe in school. Record-keeping, including employment checks, is managed vigilantly by leaders, staff and governors. Leaders make sure that staff receive regular training and know how to identify and report any safeguarding concerns. Leaders respond quickly when pupils are identified as needing help.

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Safeguarding

Pupils feel well supported and cared for by all staff. They learn about developing healthy relationships and risks that they could be exposed to through the PSHE 28 and 29 March 2023

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curriculum. Regular e-safety lessons ensure that pupils know how to keep themselves safe online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In mathematics, teachers do not always adapt learning well enough to ensure that the needs of all pupils are being met. This means that some pupils are not engaged in their learning. This leads to a lack of interest in mathematics for some pupils. Leaders should ensure that teachers have the training and support that they need to deliver lessons so that pupils are given opportunities to explain their thinking and they have a deeper understanding of the key knowledge that they have identified as being important.  Reading books are not matched closely enough to phonics ability for some pupils. This means that the younger pupils are unable to read independently without adult support. Leaders should support teachers to ensure that they are selecting the reading books which focus on the sounds that pupils know well.  Leaders do not make sure that all parents fully understand the importance of pupils attending school every day. This means that pupils are missing vital

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

elements of their learning. Leaders must ensure that the newly appointed attendance team have the training and the support that they need to manage attendance levels more rigorously.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 28 and 29 March 2023

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School details

Local authority Kingston upon Hull City Council

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School details

Inspection number 10241059 Type of school Primary

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 9 and 10 October 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school is part of Thrive Co-operative Learning Trust.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We deemed the inspection a graded (section 5) inspection under the same Act.

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Information about this inspection

 This is the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, head of school and the special educational needs coordinator.  The lead inspector met with representatives from the local governing body, trustees, the chief executive officer and representatives from the trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives into reading, mathematics, science and history. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum 28 and 29 March 2023

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planning, conducted joint lesson visits with leaders, had discussions with teachers, spoke to pupils about their work and looked at pupils’ books and samples of their work.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in classrooms, around the school and at playtime and lunchtime. They spoke with pupils about their views of the school, their learning, behaviour and safety.  During the inspection, a range of safeguarding information was scrutinised, including the school’s policies and records. Inspectors spoke to pupils and observed relationships between pupils and pupils and pupils and adults. The lead inspector also met with the designated safeguarding lead.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff and pupils. They considered comments received via the free-text facility on Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View. They also talked to some parents in the school playground.

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Inspection team

Nicola Beaumont, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Helen Stout Ofsted Inspector 28 and 29 March 2023

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and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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